


The Final Gift

by crescent_gaia



Category: Labyrinth (1986)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Post-Movie(s), Warning should be read "death"
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-11
Updated: 2017-07-11
Packaged: 2018-11-29 14:37:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,505
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11442933
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/crescent_gaia/pseuds/crescent_gaia
Summary: One final gift, even if she doesn't realize it is one, and one last chance to say no.





	The Final Gift

**Author's Note:**

  * For [reeby10](https://archiveofourown.org/users/reeby10/gifts).



> So, set post movie with Sarah being 21 and Toby being a bit more grown up. Jareth might seem out of character, but consider it character growth. Please enjoy. :)

Sarah sighed as she looked up at the ceiling of the ER, cursing her horrible luck on her 36th birthday, and the fact that she ruined another car. Her father and stepmother were furious, considering this was the third car, even though she won it in a raffle she didn’t even remember entering. The only thing she was wary about was the necklace that hung from the rear view mirror that had a sterling silver barn owl pendant. There had been various gifts from the Goblin King throughout the years since she was in the Labyrinth. At first, she put the gifts away, as there was no way to reject them, and they had been small things. Trinkets, jewelry, and other different things that were easier to put out of sight and out of mind.

Then the gifts starting getting bigger and harder to ignore. There was still no way to get out of them without seeming ungrateful or calling attention to something that would label her as crazy. So she accepted them, knowing they were from him either by a barn owl feather or like the pendant. She sighed, touching the pendant around her neck as the door to the room she was waiting in opened.

“Your luck sucks,” Toby said as he entered the room.

She smiled. “I heard the police talking as I was loaded into the ambulance. They said it was the other driver’s fault. Not that our parents agree with that.” She wasn’t sure when she started thinking of her stepmother as more of her mother, but it also made it easier for Toby. She tried to make a lot of things easier for her little brother after the Labyrinth, not wanting to lose him again, and it brought them closer together. It also helped that she told him stories of her friends in the Labyrinth and of the Goblin King when Toby would remember a bit. 

“Yeah, well, they’re being idiots and more worried that something might be wrong.” He shrugged. “I don’t think there is something medically wrong. Just bad luck.”

“They’d deny that because my good luck got the car in the first place,” she said quietly as her hand touched the pendant again. “If I have to stay the night, would you mind bringing me some things from my apartment? You’ve still got the spare key, yes?”

He nodded. “I do.”

“Good.” She dropped her hand from the pendant as the nurse came in. “Hello.”

“Doctor wants to send you for a few scans and blood tests before he sees you. He’s sorry that he hasn’t been in before now. There’s been a lot of emergencies,” the nurse said.

“That’s alright,” she said. “I’m not hurt in anyway that needs immediate attention.”

The nurse nodded. “You should prepare to stay overnight though. And you can’t have metal in the machines.”

“That’s my cue to go get the bag,” Toby said.

She took off her necklace, putting it in the palm of her hand, and worrying about the fact that she wouldn’t have it on. It was a foolish thought and she shook her head. “Hold onto this for me? You can give it back when you come back.”

He moved over and took the necklace, giving his sister a kiss on the cheek, and smiled. “You’re going to be fine. It’s just a precaution.”

“I know,” she said and smiled. “See you soon.”

“She’s going to be taken to room 391,” the nurse said. “Even if she’s just an outpatient, they’ll be able to monitor her better.”

“Thanks,” Toby said. “I’ll be back in an hour.”

“Bye,” Sarah said, smiling. She tried to quash down the feeling that she was naked without the pendant, but that felt silly. She hadn’t had it long, only a few months, but it felt like it was part of her. It didn’t matter in the end – Toby would be back in an hour and she could, hopefully, put it back on then.

*~*~*~*

Toby got out of the taxi, paying what was owed with a tip, and made his way into Sarah’s apartment building. It was a normal one, just like the rest on the block, and he decided to take the stairs instead of the elevator. He was at the top floor in no time, still amazed at her luck at getting such a big 1 bedroom apartment, even with an odd owl statue left by the previous owners. He remembered her gently touching the owl before looking like she’d been shocked but the owl was still in the place they found it.

The odd thing about the apartment was, when he opened the door, he clearly heard a dog barking. It took him a moment to realize that it was Ambrosius’ bark. “Hello, Sir Didymus and Ambrosius.”

“Ah, young Toby!” Sir Didymus said and looked dismayed. “Where is Lady Sarah?”

“Hospital,” Toby replied, moving to get a suitcase out of the closet. He blinked as he felt it was full and opened it. Instead of normal clothing, there was a ball gown on top, similar to the one that she described in the stories of the Labyrinth. Underneath, there were different types of clothing, but it seemed more fantasy type than the normal jeans and shirts she wore. “What’s this?”

“She was supposed to come tonight,” Sir Didymus said. “I was to be her escort back.”

“Back where?” Toby asked as he felt his stomach sink. She had won, hadn’t she? Isn’t that what she told him, all these years?

“Oh… Toby, she won in order to take you back home. When the King is called, one always has to stay. She had enough power to bring the both of you back home, but the place has been calling to her ever since,” Sir Didymus explained. “The reason why I’m here is that the pendant was the last gift. In accepting and wearing it, she agreed to the engagement and future wedding. It also has the power to signal Jareth when she’s ready to return.”

“But… but she couldn’t have known. She would have told me.”

“Well. I can at least take the suitcase you found,” Sir Didymus said. “She is going to need that.”

“Yeah. I need to get back to her. She’ll want the necklace back.”

Sir Didymus stopped and looked wide eyed. “She doesn’t have it?”

“No,” Toby said and opened his palm, showing the necklace with the pendant. “She had to get some scans and there’s no metal allowed in it. Why?”

“You need to get back to her now. Don’t mind the suitcase. It’s how he’s going to be able to find her. Even with his persona here, he can’t be here for long. Not since she took his heart.”

Toby looked even more confused.

“I mean figuratively, not literally.”

“Oh,” Toby said. “Just – alright – but… “ part of his mind rebelled against getting the necklace back to his sister. He didn’t want to lose her. Not when she seemed to be the only one who was nice to him.

“I am not that heartless,” Jareth said from behind Toby. “At least not now.”

Sir Didymus bowed to Jareth. “Your majesty – “

“I’ve been here and listening, Sir Didymus. You do not need to explain yourself to me. Go,” Jareth said. “There’s still arrangements to be made.”

Sir Didymus bowed again before disappearing with the suitcase and Ambrosius.

“You’re taking my sister away,” Toby said. “I won’t let you.”

Jareth smiled. “I cannot give you the same wager I gave to Sarah, Toby. She used her chance up when she saved you. If she had failed, then someone could try to save her while you would have stayed.”

“You should at least give her the chance to say no.”

Jareth smiled. “She had the chance to say no to everything I gave her. Instead, she accepted because she didn’t have the power to say no. Her claim is not as strong up here as it is in my realm. One that is not as dark or gloomy as you might or might not remember it as. I could show you, if you like.” He extended a hand.

Toby looked wary at Jareth’s hand. “I know better than to walk into a trap.”

Jareth chuckled. “Something else then. Return the necklace to her and you may come for a day, free to leave when you like. But she stays. For it seems there can no longer simply be a Goblin King – the Labyrinth claimed it’s Queen when she was fifteen. The only way to stop it was to forget, but she didn’t. She told you the stories, she accepted the gifts… it is past time for her to return.”

Toby nodded. “I’ll go back to her then.” _And give her the choice that you will not._

Jareth smiled. “Good. I’ll leave you to it.” He turned to leave. “Oh, and Toby? Four hours before the Labyrinth forcefully takes her back. I doubt you want that for her. I know I do not. Unless, of course, something happens to the necklace by her hand and her alone. It is her last chance to reject me.”

Toby nodded. He did not give voice to the questions he had for the Goblin King. Mostly, he wondered if it was all just a trick, but he left Sarah’s apartment, locking it up. He hailed a cab and went back towards the hospital, resisting the urge to just chuck the necklace out the window.

*~*~*~*

Sarah was uncomfortable, moving around on the bed to try and relax, but it was useless. According to the scans, her ribs were bruised from the seatbelt and the airbag while there was a slight swelling to her brain. All she could do was hope that Toby would be back soon. Their father has been in and, while he was very worried, she could also see that he wanted to scold her about the accident. She was forever grateful to the nurse that sent him off and looked over as the door opened. “Toby,” she said quietly.

“Hi,” Toby said quietly, closing the door and moving over to sit in the chair next to the bed.

“You didn’t bring the suitcase. Why didn’t you bring it?”

“Why didn’t you tell me you were going back?” he asked.

“What?”

“Going back to the Labyrinth. All the gifts… did you really have no idea?” he asked.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she whispered. “I’m in so much pain. It feels like I’m being torn in two at times, even with no injury showing it.”

“Our world and his.” He bit his lower lip and showed her the necklace. “He said it was the final gift and that it choose you when you came to get me.”

She took a deep breath, even though it hurt. “Oh,” she whispered. “So I was never imagining things. It was always him.” She chuckled and winced. “Everything hurts.”

“You can still say no. All you have to do is break the pendant and it breaks the hold.”

She looked at the pendant, her fingers touching it, and her mind wandered to her friends. Yes, she could say no, but what would happen to them? Another thought followed quickly – what would happen to the Goblin King himself? Why didn’t she just not accept the first gift? Why was she blind to it? There were too many questions and it was past time to answer any of them or even think about not accepting it.

“Toby, I love you,” she whispered and took the pendant. “And I will make sure you can visit. I accept his final gift.” As she put the pendant back on, the pain in her body went away. She felt light headed and slowly closed her eyes as the machine alarms went off. _Of course… one world has to be closed off_ , she thought as her body relaxed. When the alarms finally were turned off and she could feel nothing, she slowly opened her eyes and blinked at the bright light.

Where there was once doom and gloom, there was sunshine and flowers. The castle stood in the distance, tall and proud, far too much like it’s King. She slowly stood, stretching as if she woke from a deep sleep.

“Sarah?” Toby asked, taking her hand.

“Toby? Why are you here?” she asked, seeing her brother in a smart black suit and gently fixed his tie.

“He said that I could come, for a day, if I gave you the necklace,” he replied.

She smiled. “Good… shall we go see him then? Or shall we take a walk around and I can fill you in on the changes?”

“The second one, please,” he replied.

She smiled and did so, explaining the differences from before in different places. It was close to sundown when they made their way to the castle proper, with Sir Didymus waiting to show them inside. When they made their way to the main staircase made of two separate ones connecting at the top to a main floor, she smiled at seeing Jareth for the first time. She noted that he looked like he hadn’t changed at all, save for the smile that he gave. It was a genuine smile, one happy to see her, rather than trying to draw her into something else.

“Right. Toby, this way,” Sir Didymus said, leading the young man off.

“I’ll see you at dinner,” she said to Toby, kissing his cheek, and waited for them to be off. She walked up the staircase to Jareth and smiled. “So.”

“Are you displeased with me?” 

She shook her head no. “I wish you had said something.”

“I thought you knew. You said the words and the book had everything else in there about what happened next.”

“I never read the rest of the book and the play ended at that part with both happily home,” she said. “But there’s no going back, is there?”

“No. I do wish you would stay, as my Queen, Sarah. As the Labyrinth’s Queen too.”

She chuckled. “To take babies when their sisters are tired of them?”

He laughed. “No. No, that ended when you won. For now, we do what we were supposed to do in the first place – be the bringer of dreams, tricks, and nightmares.”

“I will let you deal with the nightmares,” she said, taking his hand and looking up at him. She moved a bit more, reaching up and kissing him. It felt right, as he wrapped his arm around her to pull her closer and deepen the kiss. The wedding was held a few weeks later, with Toby there to give her away, and she made sure that he had the means to visit whenever he wished. In the end, it turned out that the Goblin King could love and give his love whatever she wished as long as it was in his power. For her, it was more than enough.


End file.
